Apparatus for stringing tennis rackets



Jan. 12, 1937. R. A. STERNS 2,067,512

I APPARATUS FOR STRINGING' TENNIS RACKETS Filed Oct. 10, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7% F A, A

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Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR STRINGING TENNIS RACKETS Roy A. Sterns, Miami, Fla., assignor to The Roy Sterns Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio This invention relates to a mechanical apparatus used to facilitate the stringing of lawntennis rackets.

It is well known to those versed in the art of tennis that the accomplishment of the desired results depends to a great extend on the perfection of the racket employed. This means that the stringing must be extremely tense and uniform, and that the frame must be held rigidly,

and in an absolutely perfect longitudinal-horizontal' plane. In the process of properly stringing a racket, the frame is subject to very severe strains, which have a tendency to distort or warp it. It is therefore essential, in order to attain the desired result, that the frame be rigidly secured in a perfect plane.

The equipment in common use in stringing lawn-tennis rackets provides a cumbersome embodiment that requires a rigidly fixed location,

. and is inconvenient to operate, being necessary to walk around the equipment as each string is inserted, and more or less inefiicient.

The objects of the present invention are the provision of means for the purpose set forth, that embody a simple, durable, noncumbersome construction, and which is extremely convenient and eificient in operation.

With these objects in View the invention provides a rotatable racket-holder that facilitates 00 the operation of the apparatus, economizirlg in time and labor in the manipulation, by eliminating the inconvenience incident to the operation of a fixed construction. The present embodiment enables the operator to work on all parts 35 of the racket, in a sitting position, or without moving about. The racket is held securely on the rotatable holder, at the head and throat by clamping devices that in no way interfere with the stringing, so that individual strings may be 4 inserted without any interfering obstacle. The

racket is held on the rotatable member in a viselike embodiment that insures the frame, under severe strains, against warping, or distortion in any degree from the correct plane. The rotating function of the holder is controlled by the manippulation of push-button means that automatically release and stop the movable member at the limits of a predetermined arc. In the present embodiment this are is a semicircle.

The equipment is adjustable to the accommodation of any size racket. An important feature of the improved construction is the means for securely clamping the head and throat of the racket frame in the desired hori- 55 zontal-longitudinal plane of alignment, while the longitudinal adjustment of the curved throat clamp provides what is commonly known as a billiard, enabling the racket to be strung taut and uniform.

This practical working apparatus can be made durable and eificient and at the sametime be of exceptionally light weight and small volume, so that it can readily be confined in noncumbersome luggage for transportation, being small enough to be carried in an ordinary suitcase, and can be instantly and firmly installed for operation on any ordinary table or shelf without altering or damaging the furniture to which it is attached.

With the above-mentioned objects and advantageous features in view, the invention consists in the construction, an embodiment of which is shown in the drawings described in the specification, and pointed out definitely in the appended claims.

Figure l is a plan of the equipment, showing a racket contained therein, with a portion of the strings broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the throat end, and Fig. 4 an elevation of the head end of the equipment. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section (enlarged scale) on the central line through the curved throat support. Fig. 6 is a transverse central section in direction of arrow 6 in Fig. 2. Fig. '7 is a longitudinal-vertical section in line l--'l, Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a plan of the equipment without the racket included. Fig. 9 is a transverse central section .in direction of arrow 9, Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is a transverse section (enlarged) in line 88, Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan (enlarged) of a vise member, and Fig. 12is an elevation of said vise member. Fig. 13 is a. plan of an auxiliary billiard member that 'may be employed, and Fig. 14 is an elevation of said billiard.

The present construction provides a basemember I adapted to be clamped to a table or other suitable support. A racket holder 2 is mounted on the base I, pivotal connection being provided by the holder being journalled on a vertical bolt 3 fixed in the base I, thereby adapting the holder to be rotated in a horizontal plane, the rotary movement of said holder being controlled by means which will hereinafter be described.

The racket holder provides vertical supports 4 and 5. The support 4 is rigid with the member 2 and registers with the head of the racket frame R, while the support 5 is longitudinally adjustable and registers with the curved throat of said frame. The support 4 has a ledge 40!, which fits the interior contour of the racket head, and the support 5 is provided with a' nuts, coact with the members. 4 and 5 to firmly Theco-acting.

retain the racket on theholder. functions of the fixed ledge 4a and the ledge 511, on the adjustable support 5 provide a positive form fitting billiard? While --it is not a necessity, an auxiliary billiard IILis anticipated, and under certain conditions it may be deemed expedient to employ'the auxiliary element and-in such incidents it can readily be installed.

The means for controlling the rotation of the holder member is best illustrated in Fig. 10, and willnow be described. Thebase I has a boss Ia, which provides a bearing-for the rotation of the member 2, said member Zbeing provided with a-boss 2a adapted to bear on the boss Ia. The-boss Ia has a pocket Ib, which forms a housing-for a spiral spring I0 and a plug' cap Id. The movable member 2 is provided' with apertures 21), which extend thru the bossZa and are in an arc adapting them to registerwith the pocket Ib. The apertures 2b formhousings for push-buttons in the form of pin elements 20 and- 2d; When the equipment is'in a stationarycondition, the pocket I1) is in registration with one of the apertures 2b andthe plug Id is forced into the aperture 2b by: the action" of the spring-I0, thereby locking the members against relative movement. Downward pressure 'on' the pin" 20, acting on the plug Id forces said plug to the bearing plane of the bosses Ia and 2a, compressing the spring Ic,1 thereby permittingrthe movable member to be rotated a distance governed by the predetermined extent of the arc between'the apertures 2b. When the pin 2d registers with the pocket Ib" the plug Id freely enters the aperture under-pressure of the spring I0 and again locks themembers with the'companion pushbutton idling.

The present embodiment provides for a reciprocating' movement: in an arc of 180 degrees. Therefore, only two push-buttons are required, said! push-buttons being \lgocaited 180 degrees apart with a radius coincidentiwith the radial distance of the pocket I b. It will be clearly understoodthat the .same general principle is applicable incase morethan .two stops are desired, which.could be accomplished by the arrangement of the required'number of. pushbuttons operative in the same arc.

, As an accessory to the apparatus, a vise is embodied; the purpose of which is to accommodate or hold the racket after it has been properly strung, and to facilitate the process of What is known as trimming, and which may be more or less elaborate, but not causing any stress on the frame.

In the present construction, the vise comprises a head I4 mounted on a stud bolt I5 carrying a winged-nut I5a bearing on the outer face of head I4. This provides for the gripping of the handle of a racket in the jaw formed between the member I4 and the element 2. Guide elements I6 are connected with the head I4 and freely reciprocate in pockets I'I providedin the rotatable member.

In using the device the upper part is turned to compress the springs I I and there locked. The. members Band 4 are then adjusted to suit the length of the racket to bestrung, a billiard It being used for this purpose, if desired, by fitting the same on the upper ends of the bolts Band 9- as clearly shown in Figure 7. The gut is then run through the holes in the racket rim, the racket and its support being turned end for end'when desired. After the stringing is completed the racket is released and then its handle may be gripped between the members I4 .and 2 as clearly shownin Figure 1, while trimming of the gut is'efiected. Finally it is removed from the vise.

It will be understood that the apparatus admits of various changes in design and-details of construction without departing from the principles of the invention, and Within the scope of the claims.

I-claim:

1. In apparatusfor stringing tennis rackets and the like, a base member, an elongatedmember mounted on the base member, a support on each end of the elongated member, each of said supports having an upstanding arcuate ledge fitting the interior contour of the endof a racket head resting on the horizontal-part of said support, means for adjustably mounting each of said supports for movement longitudinally of said elongated'member for movement of the supports toward and from each other, bolts extending above the respective support, and clamps on said bolts extending arcuately around the ends of a racket head-held thereby to press said ends fiat against the ledges and thereby to hold the racket from warping.

2. In apparatus for stringing rackets and the like, a base member, an elongated member mounted on the base member and provided at'each end with an opening, a support on each endof the elongated member, said supports being adapted to engage the ends of a racket-head, a bolt for each support passing through a respective opening, each of said bolts extending above the respective support, each of said supports having an upstanding arcuate ledge fitting the interior contours of the ends of a racket head, said racket head resting on the horizontal parts of said supports, and clamps on said bolts extending arcuately around the ends of a racket head held thereby to press said ends flat on the supports and thereby to hold the racket from warping.

ROY A. STERNS. 

